Cigarette and/or cigarette holder



April 7, 1970 v M. J. DOPPELT 3,504,677

CIGARETTE AND/OR CIGARETTE HOLDER Filed Feb. 19, 1969 US. Cl. 1319 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette or cigarette holder for reducing the quantity of particulate, tar and nicotine, provide a cooler smoke, and considerably reduce toxic gasses. It includes an apertured housing surrounding a porous fibrous member which is crinkled to form an irregular asymmetrical inside surface and passageway through which the smoke passes and which will blend air passing into the housing through the apertures and through the pores, with the smoke and has means prior to entrance of the smoke into said passageway for changing the direction of the normal flow of the smoke from an axial to a radial direction to direct it against the crinkled or kinked surfaces of the fibrous member.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 665,541, filed Sept. 5, 1967.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the cigarette holder and/or cigarette formed with this invention includes a fibrous member provided with an inside slightly irregular surface into which the smoke is radially directed rather than axially, so that particulate matter such as tar and nicotine will be caused to adhere to the inside surface of the fibrous member and not pass into the mouth of the smoker, and in which smoke will be mixed with air drawn into the passageway through which the smoke passes to produce a cooler and less objectionable smoking taste.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS It is well recognized that smoking a cigarette produces a particulate matter commonly called tar and nicotine, as well as toxic gases, all of which enter the mouth and body of the smoker, and these are injurious to the smokers health. The present invention provides a cigarette and/or cigarette holder having means for overcoming or reducing the objectionable tar, nicotine and toxic gases and also provides for a cooler smoke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a view, partly in section, of the invention as embodied in a cigarette holder.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded central sectional view of FIGURE 1, taken on the longitudinal center thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a central sectional view of the holder when assembled, and

United States Patent M 3,504,677 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 FIGURE 4 is a central sectional view of a cigarette embodying the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CIGARETTE HOLDER SHOWN IN FIGS. 1, 2 AND 3 The holder 8 includes a housing in the form of a tubular member, generally indicated at 10, made preferably of plastic, such as nylon or the like. The housing or tubular member has a plurality of spaced transversely extending slots 12 spaced in diametrically opposed relation which communicate with the interior of the tubular housing member 10. The end of the tubular member has exterior ridges 13 which are engaged by the smokers lips. Inside the tubular member adjacent the mouth end or rear end thereof is a member generally indicated at 14, preferably molded integrally with the tubular member 10 and of the same material. The member 14 extends forwardly into the tubular member and has a reduced annular portion 16 having a radially tapering surface which merges into a truncated cone-shaped end portion 18. The inside of member 14 is hollow to provide a passageway 20 with a centrally reduced opening 22 which is axially alined with the tubular member 10. The annular portion 16 is spaced as indicated at 24 from the tubular member 10 and an annular shoulder 26 is formed between the member 14 and the tubular member 10.

The annular space 24 accommodates one end of the tubular fibrous member generally indicated at 28, which will be subsequently described. The end 30 of the fibrous member 28 rests against the shoulder 26 of member 14. The tubular fibrous member 28, sometimes hereinafter referred to as the porous and absorbent means, is made from a paper which is made from natural fibers and is both porous and absorbent. It is spirally wound to form a tubular member. The edges of the spiral overlap and are secured to each other to form the tubular shape, best shown in FIG. 2. This is the shape of the tubular member just prior to its insertion into tubular member 10 of the holder. When inserted into the tubular member 10, one end of member 28 will surround the portions 16 and 18 of member 14 and will occupy the annular space 24 and rest against the shoulder 26. The tubular member 28 when inserted will extend slightly beyond the front end of the tubular member or housing 10 of the holder. Also, the porous and absorbent tubular member 28 when initially inserted into tubular housing member 10 will be spaced from the inner wall of tubular member 10, as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

The front end of the tubular housing member 10 of the holder supports a front end member, generally indicated at 32. The front end member has a front annular portion 34 of an outside diameter equal to the outside diameter of tubular member 10, a reduced intermediate annular portion 36 which merges into a further reduced annular portion 38 having a radially tapering surface which merges into a further reduced generally truncated cone-shaped end portion 40 which has an end wall 42. An annular shoulder 44 is formed between the front end portion 34 and the intermediate portion 36 and a shoulder 46 is formed between the intermediate portion 36 and the annular portion 38.

The inside of the front end member 36 is hollow or tubular to receive at the front end a cigarette and to provide a passageway for the smoke. The inside of the front end member has an enlarged tubular portion 48, an intermediate annular portion 49 of smaller diameter, and a tapering annular portion 50 of a still smaller diameter. The passageway is indicated generally by the numeral 51 and is coaxial with the opening 22 of member 14. A shoulder 52 is provided between the annular portion 48 and the intermediate portion 49 and a shoulder 53 is pro vided between the intermediate portion 49 and the tapering annular portion 50. The end of the passageway 51 is blocked by the end wall 42, however, the truncated coneshaped end portion 40 has a radially extending bore or opening 54 through which the smoke passes before it enters the fibrous member 28. The end wall 42 blocks the passage of the smoke and deflects it through the radial opening or bore 54.

A metal sleeve 55 is fixedly secured inside the front end of the front member 34 and said sleeve has an annular lip 56 abutting against the front edge. The rear end of the sleeve abuts against the shoulder 52. The sleeve 55 and tubular portion 48 form a socket for receiving and frictionally retaining the conventional cigarette 59 which is held therein while smoking. The cigarette is replaceable.

When the porous and absorbent means such as the fibrous tubular member 28 is inserted into the housing member 10, the front end of member 28 will extend forwardly of the front end of tubular housing member 10. When the front end 32 is inserted into the tubular housing member to cap the housing member 10, the fibrous tubular member 28 will be crinkled as at 57 and slightly distorted from its original shape to a shape somewhat like that shown in FIG. 3, having an irregular asymmetrical inside surface and passageway 58. The intermediate portion 36 of the front end member 32 frictionally engages the inside wall of the tubular housing member 10 to hold the front end member to said tubular member. The shoulder 44 will abut against the front edge of the tubular housing member 10. The annular portion 38 is spaced from the inner wall of the tubular housing member 10 and the space therebetween will receive the front end of the fibrous tubular member 28, the front edge of which abuts against the shoulder 46. The front end of the member 28 will surround the portions 38 and 40.

When the front end 32 of the holder is secured to the tubular housing member 10, the porous and absorbent fibrous tubular member 28 crinkles as at 57 to form an irregular asymmetrical inside surface and passageway 58, as shown in FIG. 3. This together with the radial deflection of the smoke through the opening or bore 54 which constricts the smoke before it enters the irregular inside surface and passageway 58 will cause the smoke passing through member 28 to deposit the particulate and other impurities proximate to the crinkles 57. The crinkling of the fibrous tubular member 28 will also produce cilia or fur-like fuzz inside the fibrous tubular member which will additionally trap and hold the particulate matter and other impurities passing through the tubular member 28.

In smoking, the cigarette 59 is inserted in the front end 32 of the holder and held therein. During smoking the smoker sucks air into the interior of the tubular member 10 of the holder through the openings 12 and into the interior of the fibrous member 28 which commingles with the smoke entering the fibrous member 28. The smoke sucked in and passing through the passageway 51 of the front end does not flow freely into the member 28 but is blocked by the end wall 42 which causes the smoke to change its axial direction and flow radially through the opening 54 which directs it against the crinkled and irregular inside wall of the passageway 58 of the fibrous member 28. The nicotine will be trapped against the inner wall of the member 28. Several radial openings like 54 may be provided if desired. The changing of the direction offlow from an axial direction to a radial flow by virtue of the constricted radial passage 54 sets up a turbulence in the passageway 58 of the fibrous member 28 which aids in the depositing of the particulate against the crinkled walls of the fibrous member. The air drawn into the fibrous member 28 through the openings 12 is cooler than the passing hot smoke in the interior of member 28 with which it commingles and this creates an immediate condensation. The particulates that are discharged by the condensation are trapped and absorbed in the fibrous member 28. Also, the air drawn into member 28 will help to create a turbulence Which produces a difiusion of the smoke. The air drawn into the passageway 58 will reduce the toxic gases produced by the smoke and will also cool the smoke before it enters the smokers mouth.

The member 28 is readily replaceable and may be replaced whenever it becomes saturated with the impurities which are absorbed by it so that the replaceable member 28 can function efficiently. The fibrous tubular member 28 need not be changed as frequently as the filters now on the market, due to the fact that it is exposed to the air during and between smokes and thereby is refreshed. Thus, many cigarettes may be smoked before it becomes necessary to dispose of the tubular member 28 by a replacement thereof. The replacement is readily done by the smoker.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CIGARETTE EMBODIMENT SHOWN IN FIG. 4

The invention hereinbefore described in relation to a cigarette holder may be embodied as an integral part of a cigarette and hence the invention hereinbefore set forth Will not be redesc-ribed in detail.

The cigarette shown in FIG. 4 and generally indicated at 60 comprises a front portion which is the tobacco section and is generally designated by the numeral 62, and a rear portion which is the mouthpiece section, generally indicated by the numeral 64. The tobacco section of the cigarette consists of the conventional tobacco 66 contained within a paper wrapping which is of conventional construction commonly used in the manufacture of present day cigarettes.

The rear portion or mouthpiece section 64 of the cigarette embodies the elements previously described in reference to the cigarette holder and will not be redescribed. Instead of making the parts of plastic material as described in the holder, the said elements in FIG. 4 are primed and may be made of a paper or cardboard material commonly uscd in the making of the mouth portion of a cigarette. The elements are the front end section 32', the tubular section 10 and the rear portion 14'. The tobacco section 62 is formed and/or permanently connected to the front end member 32' in any convenient manner. The mouthpiece section 64 of the cigarette would not be subject to disassembly as in the case of the holder but would be integrally formed as there would be no need for replacement of the fibrous member 28.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention per se.

What is claimed is:

1. A smokers article comprising, an elongated tubular housing member adapted to cooperate with a wrapped tobacco article adapted to be burned, the housing member having a wall having a plurality of radial openings, means positioned inside said housing member between the opposite ends of the housing member, said means comprising a hollow porous and absorbent duct, means at the forward end of said housing having an axial passage, the downstream end of said passage being blocked to prevent the axial flow of smoke out of said passage, said last mentioned means having at least one radial passage to cause the smoke to change its axial flow and be directed into the porous and absorbent duct, the smoke entering the porous and absorbent duct impinging against the inner surface of said duct and mixed with air drawn into the housing member through the radial openings thereof, said hollow porous and absorbent duct having an external surface located radially outwardly of adjacent portions of the internal surface of the housing member said last mentioned means having a wall at the downstream portion thereof defining said passage, said wall being arranged to have a circular Section and being formed such that said passage is spaced radially inwardly of the housing member adjacent to the downstream end of said last mentioned means whereby said at least one radial passage has a discharge end spaced radially inwardly of said duct.

2. A smokers article as defined in claim 1 in which the porous and absorbent means inside the housing has an irregular inside surface and passageway so that the smoke entering the said absorbent means is impinged against said irregular surface.

3. A smokers article as defined in claim 1 in which the said porous and absorbent means inside said housing is crinkled to provide an irregular asymmetrical inside surface and passageway.

4. A smokers article as defined in claim 1 wherein said smokers article includes a holder for said wrapped tobacco 20 6. A smokers article as defined in claim 1 in which said tobacco article comprises a mouth end section which forms an integral part of a cigarette.

7. A smokers article as defined in claim 1 which forms an integral part of a cigarette.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 23,715 10/1918 Denmark.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

